Gainesville Guide For Students
It’s no secret that the city of Gainesville is favored by college students. Whether on campus or in off campus student housing in Gainesville, students find no shortage of nearby places to visit and things to do. But considering all of the hours spent on homework, classes, exams and other school requirements, students have limited time to explore the city they live and study in. With this guide from Contemporary Management Concepts, LLLP, students can discover Gainesville, FL, in just a few minutes.
Places To Go In Gainesville
University of Florida and Santa Fe College students often visit the following places to make the most of their time in Gainesville.
Dining
As a benefit of living in UF off campus housing, students have easy access to food to fuel them through the day. Whether you feel adventurous or just want good, cheap eats, the city has dining options for all occasions.
- The Top is where students go for their burger fix. Choices include a variety of creative house burgers, or you can build your own.
- Leonardo’s By The Slice is Gainesville’s pizza headquarters. This pizzaria also offers healthy options, such as gluten-free pizzas and salads.
- >43rd Street Deli and Breakfast House features breakfast and brunch offerings that inspire crowds of students to line up outside the door for tables.
- D’Lites Emporium is renowned for its soft-serve ice creams, which are low in calories yet rich in flavors. They also offer free tasting samples.
Shopping
Shopping can be both a practical and leisure-time activity. From furniture for student apartments near UF to new laptops for classes, students can find the items they need in Gainesville.
- The Neighborhoods of Butler is the largest shopping center in Gainesville. Comprised of Butler Plaza, Butler North, and Butler Town Center, the retail complex features more than 150 stores. Retailers of interest to students include Walmart, Target, Best Buy, and Whole Foods.
- Tioga Town Center offers an upscale shopping experience just minutes from Interstate 75 (I-75). Stores include boutique shops for clothing, food, and health products. The complex also features an outdoor stage and hosts student friendly events.
Studying
College coursework requires many hours of studying every week. By knowing where to go to study, students can boost their productivity and meet new study buddies.
- Coffee shops are great places to study. In addition to free Wi-Fi, these shops have drinks and snacks to fuel long hours of work. Cymplify, Wyatt’s Coffee, and Coffee Culture are a few of the many coffee shops UF students love.
- Off campus apartments offer convenient venues for students to study. Many apartments have private bedrooms with desks, while other Gainesville apartment communities can include study lounges or community areas for a peaceful work environment.
Having Fun
As a way to balance their workloads, many students look to have fun with their friends on the weekends. In Gainesville, students have a variety of social activities to choose from.
- On the grounds of their student apartments in Gainesville, residents often have pools and amenities they can use to enjoy their free time. Also, tenants in off campus housing are mostly students, so neighbors can host parties as a way to be social.
- Movies are popular entertainment for students. Gainesville has multiple Regal Cinemas located in different parts of the city. As a result, most students have at least one movie theater they can attend that’s not too far from where they live.
Getting Around The City
To get around Gainesville, students have several options for transportation.
- Most students make their way around they city in cars or on scooters. Directions are easy to reference based on street names. Avenues, places, roads, and lanes run east and west, while streets, drives, and terraces run north and south.
- Biking is popular in Gainesville, which ranks in the nation’s top ten bicycle friendly cities. Paved bike lanes are on most major streets, and several nature trails exist within the city limits. Many apartment complexes have bike storage areas, as well.
- In terms of per capita ridership, Gainesville is Florida’s leading city for buses. The Regional Transit System (RTS) provides bus services across the city. And best of all, UF and Santa Fe College students ride the bus free.
- RTS GATOR AIDER is a shuttle that runs to and from Gator football games on campus. LATOR GATOR and GOOD NIGHT GATOR, meanwhile, offer late-night transport to downtown, the UF campus, and many off campus apartments.
Local Neighborhoods
When UF students are looking for apartments for rent, they have several neighborhoods to consider.
- Archer Road is southwest of the UF campus. It’s home to numerous student apartments as well as shopping, such as Butler Plaza.
- Downtown offers a relaxed atmosphere with attractions that include small shops, social events, parks, and historic buildings.
- Midtown sits at the northern border of the UF campus. It’s known for an abundance of student housing and restaurants.
- Northwest Gainesville is a suburban neighborhood that features tree-lined streets and quiet housing communities.
- Sorority Row is a commuter friendly area of Gainesville that offers student housing in a quaint section of town.
Before you can settle into Gainesville, you’ll need to find the right student housing for you. Contemporary Management Concepts, LLLP can help with that. As one of the city’s leading property management companies, we have off campus housing in the location you want that are within your budget. To discover the perfect student housing for your needs, contact us today!